


Would you go up to Bat (Swing me a Home Run)?

by maccabird_23



Series: We're only Friends for the Camera (We're Lovers when they Stop Rolling) [2]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-08
Updated: 2014-11-08
Packaged: 2018-02-24 14:23:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2584529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maccabird_23/pseuds/maccabird_23
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seguin held his tongue and it wasn’t easy. The space between what he was thinking and the words that came out of his mouth was short at best. That’s why it was so hard not to respond to every chirp by Chubbs with, “You jerked off to a picture of Patrick Kane.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Would you go up to Bat (Swing me a Home Run)?

**Author's Note:**

> GUYS!!! I just re-read this story and noticed I didn't even paste the last line. If you guys can just read the last line it would make me feel a little less cringe-worthy. Yikes.

 

 

 

Seguin held his tongue and it wasn’t easy. The space between what he was thinking and the words that came out of his mouth was short at best. That’s why it was so hard not to respond to every chirp by Chubbs with, “You jerked off to a picture of Patrick Kane.”

 

 

“Did you forget how to take a faceoffs, bud?”

 

 

“Did you forget you jerked off to a picture of Patrick Kane?”

 

 

“Your hair looks terrible today.”

 

 

“Patrick Kane’s hair always looks terrible. You still jerked off to a picture of him.”

 

 

“Can you even name me one lacrosse player?”

 

 

“Can you even name me another picture Toews sent you besides the picture of Patrick Kane that you jerked off to.”

 

 

There was a rational part of his brain that knew his boyfriend wasn’t holding a candle for Patrick Kane but it still irked him. Chubbs had quickly become one of the most important things in his life. The older man was everything that Boston had tried to take away from him.

 

 

Their dynamic on the ice proved that he was a team player. When everyone had whispered he didn’t play well with others. He didn’t generate chemistry because he wasn’t willing to put in the effort with the other players. Jamie showed every commentator, reporter and the whole fucking league that they were wrong. That given the right winger and position he could be clutch.

 

 

All the rumors about his off ice antics – about his partying, being late for breakfasts and being hung-over for games were shot down with Benn’s steady hand. He wasn’t out of control. All along he just needed that one person to put down his fourth drink. Tell him calmly he was done for the night.   

 

 

Then there were the rumors that very few people on the outside knew about. Only those in the Bruins organization and a select few in the NHL were told about. That Segs would screw any player that showed interest. That he went through Brownie, Blacker, Zotto, Kane and Marchand without caring about their emotions and fucking them up. When Marchand didn’t show up against the Hawks they pinned it on him. They held a meeting about how Seguin’s impulsive but fickle affections had caused Brad to lose his edge. Had caused the Bruins to lose the Cup.

 

 

They had brought them into the office separately – meeting with Brad and then him. Shepherding Tyler into that overbearingly, clinical room before the sweat had even dried from his neck. He’d been wiping blood from his nose – not meeting eyes with Jacobs, Chiarelli, Julien and especially not Chara.

 

 

They had laid out their claim. Segs shaking his head at each accusation because he couldn’t speak - tears caught at the back of his throat. Brownie had always been too angry to commit. Upset that Tyler was raising the Cup while he was still riding the bus in the minors. Weeks would go by before he’d even text him back.

 

 

Blacker and Zoto were always to interested in playing games off the ice. Preferring to hookup on the rode then stay chaste until summer – when they would hookup with Segs and each other.

 

 

He’d never done anything with Kaner besides a few drunken kisses. Both had been morose about the status of their relationships. Complaining about the lockout and how it was ruining any chance they had at a real love life.

 

 

His relationship with Brad had been the thing they got completely wrong. It amazed him that they thought he had Marchand on a string. Carelessly playing with his emotions – when it had always been the other way around. Since he’d been a rookie – searching for his place on the team - Brad had been his guide.

 

 

The first time they won the Cup Brad had been the one pouring vodka down his throat, pulling him on top of bars and yanking his shirt off his body. Showing him off and Tyler had eaten up all his affections. He hadn’t even given it a second thought when Brad had pulled him into a sloppy, drunk kiss in the back of a limo. It had just seemed like a natural course to their relationship.

 

 

Marchand had set the boundaries to their relationship. He made statements like they were facts. Letting Tyler know that players couldn’t have normal relationships with each other. That they would go out with the guys and hookup with girls because it was expected of them. But at the end of the day they would always come back to each other. And Segs had taken it as a truth. For two years he had thought it was the only way he and Brad could be together.

 

 

Then the lockout happened and he had met Kane. He found out relationships between players didn’t have to be a fucked up, two-sided games of meaningless hookups and hurt feelings.

 

 

Kane and Toews weren’t anything close to perfect. Johnny had kept his feelings in close check – keeping Patrick guessing about where they stood. Pat had responded in kind – by acting out and partying too hard. But in the end they had gotten their shit together and made it work.

 

 

Tyler had wanted that ending with Brad more than he wanted another ring and that’s when their relationship had become contentious. Not speaking for weeks and arguing when they would. Marchand accusing him of screwing other guys, including Kane and him not denying it because he wanted Brad to be jealous. Wanted him to show any emotion that signaled he actually cared about him.

 

 

He had denied their indictment – gasping out Brad’s name. Begging them to ask him and he’d tell them the truth. But they shook their heads. They had already talked to Marchand and he had told them everything they needed to know. That’s when Segs knew he didn’t have anyone fighting in his corner. Not even the person he had trusted the most on the team.

 

 

He remembered watching _Behind the B_. Watched them debating his trade and comparing him to Kane. The media had labeled both of them troubled party boys who had more skill than common sense.

 

 

_He’s not a physical player. He relies on his skill. Does that sound familiar to you? I just think there are too many red flags with him. If he gives us half of a Kane we win a Stanley Cup._

 

They had put him and Kaner side to side – scrutinized his personal issues and physical play with a fine toothcomb. In front of all those cameras and for the world to see - like he was nothing more than cattle to be bargained over and traded. And in the end they found him lacking.

 

 

No one had come up to bat for him. Tyler had felt that itch of jealousy - spurred on by the comparison. From what Patrick had told him – Toews had been a force to be reckoned with. Not letting up until everyone in the Hawks organization knew that he was planning on retiring with Kane and it didn’t matter what team that happened to be on. He was clutch when Kane needed that support and Segs didn’t have a Johnny.

 

 

Not until now – not until Jamie Fucking Benn. It bothered him more than he let on that somewhere on Chubbs phone there was a picture of Patrick Kane. He wondered if Jamie flipped through his pictures – looking at Kane and then Segs. If he found Tyler lacking just like the entire Bruins organization had.

 

 

Every relationship Tyler had wanted failed. Each lover wanting something that he couldn’t give them. Toews had fallen for Kane when he was thirteen. Patrick had the power to string a guy along on passing glances for six fucking years. And not just any guys but Jonathan Golden Boy Toews. Johnny was willing to play for the freaking Jets or Sabres for Pat.

 

 

 Tyler wondered if Jamie would be willing to go to bat for him. Everything was going up roses for the Stars but would Benn be so clutch if another photo popped up of Segs slamming back tequila shots? If he’d step up to Gaglardi or Nill and defend Tyler if he has another lackluster post-season?

 

 

Those questions were swimming in his head as he got out his phone and sent out a quick text to Kaner. It didn’t take long for him to get a response.

 

 

_How did you make Toews fall in love with you?_

_He came for the ass. Stood for the winning personality._

_Strange. Since your personality is in your ass. But seriously. Johnny and you. How did you get him head over skates?_

 

_What the fuck brought this on? What’s up with you and Jamie? I thought it was working out?_

 

_It was! Then he saw your cum face and now I’m not sure._

 

He should have expected to hear _Chelsea Dagger_ – Kaner’s ringtone the moment he sent out the text. But the _Da Da Da_ still startled him like the worst kind of flashback of being scored on.

 

 

“What the fuck you say?”

 

 

“Don’t have time to explain, Kaner. There are more pressing issues at hand. Just know that there might be a pic of you wearing Johnny’s gold medal circulating around Team Canada.”

 

 

“That limp-dick, motherfucker!”

 

 

“Focus Kaner. I have real problems and not just ‘my boyfriend likes showing me off too much’ fake-ass problems.”

 

 

Patrick sighed and everything on his end went quiet like he was closing a door. Tyler appreciated it. He didn’t want any third party to know about his quarter life crisis and fucked up personal life.

 

 

“When we were in Switzerland you were drunk and babbling one night. You told me that Johnny threatened Wirtz. Told him if they traded you he would go with.”

 

 

“Not my proudest moment. Having my boyfriend defend my honor like I’m some kind of damsel but it meant we got to stay together. It got us another Cup. Why you asking?”

 

 

“I need to know if Chubbs would do that for me. Marchand didn’t. But I thought Jamie was different. But then I caught him jerking off to that picture of you. And now I’m doubting all my shit.”

 

 

There was a beat of silence – intersected by Kane cussing out Johnny, Brad and Jamie. He took in a breath and Tyler waited. “Firstly, Marchand. That hoe aint loyal.” Segs rolled his eyes. If he was expecting words of wisdom from Kane then he would have to settle for them being doled out in rap lyrics.  

 

 

“Secondly, by the time I fucked up it was too late for me and Johnny. Neither of us could see a future that we weren’t together. And that comes to my last point. Thirdly, Jamie isn’t Marchand or Johnny.”

 

 

Tyler was about to respond – chirping Kaner for being vague but then he let it sink in. Chubbs wasn’t Brad or Johnny.

 

 

He’d never fucked with Tyler’s emotion and keep him guessing. He was a shit liar and preferred to be blunt with everything he said. When he wanted to date Tyler he was all blushing cheeks and stuttered questions. When he was jealous he would lay possessive hands on Tyler – glaring at any interloper.

 

 

Everything he did was tactless but sincere and it made Segs’ life so much easier when his boyfriend’s emotions were laid bare in his body language. He also wasn’t gutless and would never blame Tyler for his own shitty play to get off the trading block. When he fucked up on the ice he was up front about it. He was the exact opposite of Marchand.

 

 

Chubbs and Johnny seemed so much alike on paper. Serious, hard working, standing up for what and whom they believed in. But they were different in those ways that only he and Kaner could ever describe. Johnny had this easy confidence that came with being a third overall pick, being captain of every team and winning every award known to hockey. Knowing that when he spoke he had the ear of everyone in the room. It was that certainty - in already knowing his place in hockey history - that led Toews to standing up to the owners of the fucking Blackhawks.  

 

 

 Jamie never had that swagger to his game – not off the ice. He always kept his head down. A blush always threatening to bloom if anyone even dared notice how amazing he was. When he was named captain the hardest thing he had to do was face the media – have all those reporters congratulating him. Segs had been right next to him – affection already settling for this kid who was too shy to be captain but too good not to be.

 

 

Being the leader of the room also didn’t come naturally to him – always looking for that nod from his brother or Tyler when he spoke to the team. But he grew into it – working harder than everyone else on the ice and the team followed by example. If Chubbs thought that Tyler was worth it then he would stick up for him. Even if he was still unsure of his own permanence on the team – as ridiculous as that sounded - he would still stick up for what he believed in.

 

 

But that was the problem. Tyler was unsure if Chubbs believed in him. If he thought Segs was worth it. Seguin couldn’t blame him for that. Sometimes he played like shit when his team was depending on him and sometimes he did dumb shit when people he loved were depending on him.

 

 

“I need to know if Chubbs believes in me. If he thinks I’m worth it.”

 

 

“I hope you know that I totally don’t agree with this. If Jamie doesn’t believe in you at this point then the boy is as dumb as he looks. But you’re probably going to have to pull a Seguin.”

 

 

“What the hell does that mean?”

 

 

“Pull a Seguin: Do something so fucking stupid that other teams are going to show it to their rookies during PR training.”

 

 

“You’re a fucking asshole. Let that be known. But lets pretend I go along with this. How am I going to do that without actually getting in trouble.”

 

 

“Let me Yoda this shit, young Skywalker.”

 

 

Tyler rolled his eyes but sat down on his bed because he knew he should probably be sitting for whatever hair-brained scheme Kaner was about to concoct.

 

 

Seguin had vetoed every idea Pat had – reconsidering every life choice he had ever made before Jamie had got to his house. He could hear him running up the stairs – feet like hooves on the hardwood floor. It had taken Chubbs ten minutes to get to his house after Tyler had called him in a panic - telling him that he had to get there immediately.

 

 

Tyler had to wonder if Jamie walked or ran to his place. The three blocks were a fast stroll but Jamie walked like turtles fucked - slowly and with great annoyance. But as the bedroom door slammed opened Tyler posed liked he practiced – phone clutched to his chest and slumped against the pillows.

 

 

It didn’t take Jamie long to amble onto the bed – pawing at Tyler like one of his puppies after a month’s separation. He was sweaty and Segs’ could tell he ran all three blocks. There was a tinge of guilt that ran down Tyler’s spine but he waved it off and took Chubbs by the shoulders. He had to be steadfast.

 

 

“Baby, what’s wrong? What happened? Are you okay?”

 

 

“I’m fine, Chubbs. It’s something else. I fucked up big time.”

 

 

Jamie took a deep breath – letting panic leave his body – knowing Tyler wasn’t hurt. Then he blinked slowly – asking without words. Seguin let the silence settle and prepared his next words carefully. Just like he practiced.   

 

 

“I was taking a dick pic for you. I thought it would be sexy. But instead of texting it to you I accidentally tweeted it to you.” 

 

 

Jamie was quiet for a beat before cursing to himself and taking out his phone. Tyler stopped him, covering his hand with his own. “I deleted the tweet but I know someone must have seen it.”

 

 

Benn took a deep breath, eyes intense and serious. It was the Jamie he had only seen out on the ice. The man who gets a Gordy Howe Hattrick after the team is down by two points.

 

 

“Did the tweet say anything? Can we tell PR that your phone was stolen? I’ll tell them I was there when you lost it.”

 

 

Tyler bit his lip – he knew that he could end it now. He already got his answer but there was something about Jamie being so in control and confident that he found so utterly hot.

 

 

Seguin shook his head – giving Jamie wide, scared eyes. He practiced his best Kaner impression in the mirror. “It said ‘Come to my house after your workout and fuck me while you’re all sweaty.’”

 

 

Jamie ticked his jaw – nostrils flaring as he let out a breath. Tyler couldn’t tell if it was anger or desire that stained his features or a strange mix of both. But both were soon replaced by a stony look of determination.

 

 

“We can’t play it off as a joke. There’d be too much backlash. We’re going to have to tell the truth.” Tyler felt his stomach drop and he gave Jamie a pleading look – words stuck in his throat. He thought that Jamie would be different. That he wouldn’t throw him to the wolves like Brad. He’d hoped…

 

 

“We’ll get married. You call our parents and tell them we’re engaged. I’ll call PR and calm them down. They can’t trade a player for sending a personal pic to his future husband. Even if he was dumb about it. Especially, if his fiancé is the captain of the team.”

 

 

Tyler knew he was doing a good impression of a dead fish but he really didn’t know what else to do. There was a large part of him that wanted to jump into Jamie’s arm and celly like he’d just scored the Cup winning goal. But there was also a part of him that was just ready to panic at the shit storm he just started. He didn’t do either until Jamie was already dialing a number into his phone – probably Tom Holey, their fucking PR guy.

 

 

Tyler jumped on his back – tackling the phone out of his hands and throwing it across the room. Chubbs gave him a wide-eyed look as he slowly wrapped his arms around Segs shaking form. Body language screaming ‘your crazy but I’m just gonna hug you until you calm down.’

 

 

Seguin sagged into the hug – resting his cheek on Jamie’s sturdy shoulder. It brought his lips to the older man’s ear. He pressed a kiss to the freckled lobe before telling Jamie the truth.

 

 

“So that was all a lie. I didn’t tweet out a dick pic to you.”

 

 

For his part Jamie didn’t yell or run for the hills – normal responses to finding out your boyfriend was crazy. He just held Tyler closer and pressed a dry kiss to Tyler’s forehead.

 

 

“Baby, no offense but what the fuck is wrong with you?”

 

 

Tyler opened his mouth but nothing came out the first time he tried. Every bad memory and debilitating doubt stuck on loop in his head. He just wanted to whisper Brad’s name and hope that Jamie understood but he had promised his lover a long time ago that he would never compare them.

 

 

“You wanted what Johnny had - someone who could be your prize and victory. I wanted what Pat had – someone who would step up to bat for me when I fucked up. I needed to know you would be that someone.”

 

 

 Jamie laid them both down, wiping tears away from Tyler’s eyes that he didn’t know had gathered. He rubbed at the back of his neck – at the muscles that knotted there – comforting him. He met his eyes, Jamie’s puppy-dog look becoming earnest.

 

 

“Baby, I’m willing to have a shotgun wedding in Texas if it means that you are going to stay by my side. Never doubt that.”

 

 

Tyler felt a smile etch across his lips as he nuzzled his nose against Jamie’s jaw. “I wasn’t sure. Johnny has been in love with Pat since they were thirteen. We just started dating and I still have so many doubts about where we stand.”

 

 

There was a tickle of a laugh playing against the fine hairs at his temple. Tyler didn’t have time to ask what was so funny.

 

 

“Let me tell you a story, Segs. At the All-Star Game I was sitting next to the most beautiful boy that I had ever seen. He was just twenty-years old but he’d already raised the Cup. I had never even been in a playoff game before. He was talking to James Neal and I would have done anything to get his attention. And then he turned and looked at me. He slid closer, put his hand on my shoulder and gave me this blinding smile. I think I fell in love with him right there and then.”

 

 

“That was two years ago.” Tyler whispered, looking up at Jamie in awe.

 

 

“And that’s how long I’ve wanted you. That’s how long I’ve fought to prove that I was worthy of you. I just wanted to be closer to that boy with a beautiful smile and now that I have him I’m gonna fight to keep him.”

 

 

“Why didn’t you ever tell me?” Tyler questioned, wrapping his hands around Jamie’s lower back and messaging his finger into the slope where shirt met pants.

 

 

Chubbs let out a full body laugh, shaking Tyler as he brought their faces closer together. Laying a kiss on his open mouth - warm breaths caressing his cheek. “I thought you would think I was weird.”

 

Tyler met Jamie’s kiss with his own – giggling into the older man’s mouth. “I just lied about leaking dick pics onto the Internet just to see how you would react. And you proposed marriage. I think we passed weird long time ago.”

 

 

Chubbs deepened the kiss – smothering Tyler’s laughter and words with teeth and tongue. Segs’ didn’t protest. He had a long way to go before he could feel completely worthy of Jamie’s devotion. But right here – in his arms – was a good place to start.


End file.
